Dev Haskell 11-14 (Dev Haskell – Private Investigator)

I am a fan of Dev Haskell PI, written by Mike Faricy. I have read all these books. I have just read book 14. Loveable characters, a lot of action and Dev finds himself in a lot of scrapes but thanks to his friends, he manages to escape not always unharmed. A must read for mystery fans.

Book 11 – Yellow Ribbon
The Dev Haskell series is touted as humorous detective fiction. Until this book, I have agreed. However, this one is as serious as a heart attack and shows a side of our almost lovable detective not seen before. Dev is literally out for blood and will let nothing get in his way.

If you’ve been reading this series in order, I am sure that you, like I, have concluded that Dev Haskell is something of a horn dog. The beginning of YELLOW RIBBON seems to confirm this twice over. Keep reading my friend. Things are not always as they seem.

Faricy has succeeded in showing the soft underbelly of our beloved, beer swilling, girl watching, always in the wrong place, private investigator. One thing about Dev is he is never aggressive when it comes to his conquests. Even when a woman is passed out drunk, he doesn’t take advantage. He puts them to bed, covers them up, and sleeps on the couch. As I make my way through the series, I find myself liking him more and more.

Emma and Ava, sisters aged five and four respectively, are kidnapped. Haskell will move heaven and hell to secure their safe return. As always, Dev gets himself into more trouble than is absolutely necessary, but little girls need his help so his impulsive nature is more than understandable. These kidnap victims are the children of Isabella and Danny who was killed in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom, in 2011. Everything screams tear jerker!

I’d like to add a point of personal privilege here… I’ve never understood just how the song “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” became the theme song for veterans returning home from war. The song is about a guy coming home from prison. He’s a criminal. I’m a vet who never served in a war zone, but I think I would be offended by the whole yellow ribbon thing. Equating those who have served their country with criminals is just wrong.

In any event, the yellow ribbon in the story is about bringing home loved ones… not once, but twice. If YELLOW RIBBON doesn’t make you weep and rage, I don’t know what will.
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Book 12 – Dog Gone
Dev has a new girlfriend. Her name is Maddie, and she has a golden retriever named Morton. As the story always goes, Dev gets trapped into a job he doesn’t really want, but he does make a new friend in the process. You guessed it, Maddie gets a family emergency call, and Dev gets the dog along with pages and pages of instructions on the care and feeding of Morton. Let the hilarity begin.

Dev gets himself a new client while taking Morton for his evening constitutional. He is passing a house, hears a woman scream, and ever the gallant, Dev rushes to the rescue nearly getting his head bashed in for his trouble. Natasha Kominski wants to win best of show in the Blessington Kennel Club show, and she will do just about anything to make that happen. This is a convoluted tale of dog lovers and dognappers where it is pretty difficult to know the good guys from the bad.

This is almost a happily ever after dog story… almost but not quite.
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Book 13 – Scam Man
As I suspected might happen, Morton is back! You did read the previous book in the series, DOG GONE, right? No? Oh, well… your loss. And, Dev has a new girlfriend. Stop rolling your eyes. This one could be serious. He’s wining and dining her and being the perfect gentleman. By the way, she too has a dog, a chocolate lab named Lady Godiva. Two dog lovers… a match made in heaven?

Love is in the air. Heidi Bauer has met ‘the one.’ She’s head over heels for a man who makes claims that, if true, just might put him in line for sainthood. Dev suspects a big IF as he sets out to investigate Heidi’s amour du jour. As you might suspect, craziness ensues.

In these unprecedented times, everyone needs an escape. Maybe you look to fantasy, but should you like your vacation from the day to day to be a bit more down to earth, I recommend the Dev Haskell Private Investigator series. You can take your getaway one book at a time or look for the omnibus editions. Just be sure to start your holiday with book 1, RUSSIAN ROULETTE, so you don’t miss any of the action.
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Book 14 – Foiled
Dev Haskell, ever the good Samaritan, finds himself babysitting, and ultimately befriending, a member of the tinfoil hat brigade named Ignatius Arnold, better known as “Iggy.” Mortimer helps with this achievement a lot.

Dev Haskell hasn’t seen Bonnie Lowry in ten years. She’s divorced, with three kids whose names reflect her drinking habits over the years, and now developing software with her computer genius roomer, Iggy. Of course, the software is a game changer, Bonnie and Iggy are in danger… you can guess the rest. Niles Wegger, another programming genius, and international online scammer is at the heart of all the troubles. Follow Dev down the highways and byways, and even a river chase, as he foils the dastardly plot.

If you’ve been reading the series (you HAVE been reading it, right?), Lucious Dixon, ex-NFL player with anger management issues, is becoming quite the regular sidekick for Dev. He’s big, he loves to eat, and he drives like an old lady. Once you get past his size and propensity for shopping bags full of fast food, he’s on OK guy.

If you’re looking for a few laughs, a lot of action, and voluptuous babes… look no more. This is the series for you.